SEOmoz API - Links and Anchor Text Calls

[AlexThomas]

Hi,

I'm testing out the SEOmoz API - however I'm stuggling to understand the use of the Cols parameter within the "anchor-text" method.

I've looped through increasing numbers of "Cols" for a standard query and there just seems to be no logical pattern.
** - Could someone please enlighten me as to how this works?**

E.g. of results for query:

http://lsapi.seomoz.com/linkscape/anchor-text/www.seomoz.org/?Scope=term_to_page&Sort=domains_linking_page&Cols=1

1Array
(
    [0] => Array
        (
            [aturid] => 86128451138
        )

    [1] => Array
        (
            [aturid] => 86128451144
        )

    [2] => Array
        (
            [aturid] => 86128451131
        )

)
2Array
(
    [0] => Array
        (
            [atut] => seomoz
        )

    [1] => Array
        (
            [atut] => seomoz.org
        )

    [2] => Array
        (
            [atut] => seo
        )

)
3Array
(
    [0] => Array
        (
            [aturid] => 86128451138
            [atut] => seomoz
        )

    [1] => Array
        (
            [aturid] => 86128451144
            [atut] => seomoz.org
        )

    [2] => Array
        (
            [aturid] => 86128451131
            [atut] => seo
        )

)
4Array
(
    [0] => Array
        (
            [atui] => 38845159274
        )

    [1] => Array
        (
            [atui] => 38845159274
        )

    [2] => Array
        (
            [atui] => 38845159274
        )

)
5Array
(
    [0] => Array
        (
            [atui] => 38845159274
            [aturid] => 86128451138
        )

    [1] => Array
        (
            [atui] => 38845159274
            [aturid] => 86128451144
        )

    [2] => Array
        (
            [atui] => 38845159274
            [aturid] => 86128451131
        )

)
6Array
(
    [0] => Array
        (
            [atui] => 38845159274
            [atut] => seomoz
        )

    [1] => Array
        (
            [atui] => 38845159274
            [atut] => seomoz.org
        )

    [2] => Array
        (
            [atui] => 38845159274
            [atut] => seo
        )

)
7Array
(
    [0] => Array
        (
            [atui] => 38845159274
            [aturid] => 86128451138
            [atut] => seomoz
        )

    [1] => Array
        (
            [atui] => 38845159274
            [aturid] => 86128451144
            [atut] => seomoz.org
        )

    [2] => Array
        (
            [atui] => 38845159274
            [aturid] => 86128451131
            [atut] => seo
        )

)
8Array
(
    [0] => Array
        (
            [atuiu] => 1
        )

    [1] => Array
        (
            [atuiu] => 1
        )

    [2] => Array
        (
            [atuiu] => 0
        )

)
9Array
(
    [0] => Array
        (
            [atuiu] => 1
            [aturid] => 86128451138
        )

    [1] => Array
        (
            [atuiu] => 1
            [aturid] => 86128451144
        )

    [2] => Array
        (
            [atuiu] => 0
            [aturid] => 86128451131
        )

)
10Array
(
    [0] => Array
        (
            [atuiu] => 1
            [atut] => seomoz
        )

    [1] => Array
        (
            [atuiu] => 1
            [atut] => seomoz.org
        )

    [2] => Array
        (
            [atuiu] => 0
            [atut] => seo
        )

)

Links API:

Similar confusion here for:
"TargetCols"
"SourceCols"
"LinkCols"

The description here http://apiwiki.seomoz.org/w/page/13991141/Links API - is a bit vague

It appears that the links API spits out everything anyway - that one's less of an issue.

So... could anyone explain how the Anchor-text API parameter Cols works??

Cheers!

[caseyhen]

The Cols parameter works just like it does in the Links API.  For example:

http://apiwiki.seomoz.org/w/page/13991127/Anchor Text API

If you want to display term or phrase, which has a bit flag of 2 and internal pages linking which has a bit flag of 8, your Cols Parameter would be 10.  That would return both the term or phrase and internal pages linking.  You simpily add the bit flags and use that as your Cols Parameter.

This makes it so you don't have to loop through and make a bunch of call to get multiple columns.

[AlexThomas]

That's brilliant Casey - that's exactly what I was looking for!

Basicly Cols = bitflag

So to dump all data for anchor-text Cols=2042

Thanks!